A foolish act by Sammy. Not a hanging offence

If the president decides to forgive this your indiscretion, which I reluctantly feel he should, Sammy, Do not let him down... mansa musa writes ✍️

_Next time if anyone asks you for money, just say you don't have cash on you. That's what statepersons do._

_Goldbod can make Ghana. We need no distractions. Sammy, focus._

_Being focused should not just be applicable to just the total oversight on assigned duties. Focused means or should mean being steadfast at all times_

I am scandalised. I am pained. I am beside myself, thinking and looking for a way out of this miserable feeling. At a time of this serene wind of optimism blowing in Ghana. A time when the psychological momentum is favouring the ndc government. This isn't the time for the news maker and the headline maker to become the news.

Ever since, and nearly 20 years ago when at a Walthamstow central bus station in east London I saw a woman crying uncontrollably. It later became clear what had caused that woman to cry at a busy bus terminal as though she's been informed about the death of a relative. It turned out the woman was crying because just moments earlier, her lady wallet, her handbag was snatched from her grasp when she had stopped to get some coins from the wallet to give to a beggar. In those days, street cctv were not that common, not even in big brother oversight controlled London.

It was on that day that I made a solemn pledge not to dabble in cash for any street activity, including giving of arms to a beggar. Since that day, I have learnt to say to anyone who asked me for money in public or on the street _"sorry, I don't have cash"_. Overtime, I can say that this private, personal policy has served me very well. Even among friends I'm known for not having cash on my person. They say _"it's not easy to walk with mansa musa"_ , good!

I try to use my bank card a lot. The moral of this longish commentary is that if you are an official, working at or the head of a very sensitive public institution or utility, you must gain the habit of not distributing or dashing cash when in town and in a broad daylight. Don't go about sharing cash at will. Don't do favours with cash in public. Don't dash moneys to any filthy trickster thinking you are helping the needy.

If and whenever you feel the need to help the cashstrap needy, direct your attention to those many needy people in constituencies up and down the country. My humble suggestion would be for all the officials and appointees to set up a fund and contribute into that fund a good monthly sum. This money can be classified the welfare fund to be used as a prelude, a precursor, a starter of a soft social welfare program, even if it wouldn't be enough or be available for everyone, it could be the beginning of a mini welfare system by which a weekly, fortnightly or monthly stipend payment can be made to the unemployed, and cash-strapped party footsoldiers scattered around the country. In that way, you all will in a small but tangible way be helping the real needy people in society. Do not hand over dollars to established confident tricksters.

No amount of fresh uncontaminated water from Akosombo can wash away this latest indiscreet filth that we've all witnessed. Even so, we/I am prepared to give lawyer Sammy Gyamfi the benefit not of any moral consideration but rather out of a grownup understanding of periods of youthful exuberance of a growing man. In our formative and growing process, the occasional indiscretions and lapses are allowed, at least to a degree.

That's why with a deepest difficulty, I am willing to cast an undeserved pardon on Sammy Gyamfi on this occasion. He must know that, that Goldbod institute he is heading is a very sensitive and crucial one. A sensitive role that we grownups with white or grey hairs everywhere on our bodies, even though we are on our last legs, we all want to have that role. The president had seen in you Sammy Gyamfi, a capable, and a safe hand. That Goldbod thing can make Ghana and anyone in charge of that program should have the highest moral and intellectual compatibility. Being focused should not be applicable to just the total oversight on assigned duties. Focused means or should mean being steadfast at all times.

Maturity, not just in age but in deeds and actions, this is absolute requirement. As already stated, everything about this incident stinks but as he Sammy Gyamfi has stated in his first public response, a measure of steadfastness and attention to detail, a highest degree of self-discipline, an obligatory requirement that be maintained and observed by any high office holder in the land. Sammy Gyamfi and others should learn from this Unnecessary self-inflicted, self-induced embarrassment.

A president's job is hard enough without this unwanted unwarranted misdemeanours of a junior or senior subordinate. Sammy, Mr. President has entrusted in you above all others that enormous, central and sensitive role of managing Ghana's gold for Ghana. If he decides to forgive this your indiscretion, which I reluctantly feel he should, Do not let him down. Learn to say "No" to anyone who asks you for money. Tell them you don't have cash on you. That's what statepersons do. Period. That is that. Mawie.